Draft and buffing gear



J. M. WAUGH.

' DRAFT AND BUFFING GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB} 10. 19w.

1 ,860,605. Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

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APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10, I919.

Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

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- DRAFT AND .BUFFING GEAR.

APPLICAUON FILED FEB. 10. 1919.

Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

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J. M. WAUGH.

DR-AFT AND BUFFING GEAR. APPLICATIO'N FILED FEB. 10, 1919.

1 ,36 0,605. Patented Nov. 30, 1920* 6 SHEETS-SHEET 4- 35 O i 5 y7 by i M my 1. M. WAUGH. DRAFT AND BUFFING GEAR.

. APPLICATION FILED FEB.1U, I919. 1,360,605. 7 v Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

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J. M. WAUGH.

DRAFT AND BUFFING GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10, 1919.

1 ,360,605. Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DRAFT AND BUFFING GEAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

Application filed February 10, 1919. Serial No 276,213.

To all "(Mom it may com-em Be it known that I, JAMES MiL'roN V Y 1 ll AL'GH', a citizen of the United btates, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in .Draft and Butling (iears; and I do hereby declare that the. following is a full, clear, and exact descri 'ition of the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the numerals of reference marked thereon. which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improved form of a combination draft and butfing gear rigging adapted for use in a car to absorb both light and heavy shocks or impacts by means of primary and secondary draft gears, said primary draft gear being of such capacity as to enable the same to absorb all ordinary butting and the maximum pulling stresses through offset rocker separated spring follower mechanisms with but slight recoil and comparatively slight inward or outward travel of the gear under such stresses, and to afford in connection with the primary draft gear a secondary friction spring draft gear normally inert in both pulling and batting, and adapted to come into action only under butting stressesbeyond the capacity of the primary draft gear.

It is an object of this invention to construct a combination draft and bufling gear wherein a primary draft and buffing gear embraces follower blocks adapted to carry springs in offset relation with respect to each other and acting through followers and an equalizing rocker disposed therebetween to absorb pulling and ordinary bufling stresses.

Another object of the invention is to provide in connection with a main eccentrically operating draft and buffing gear an auxiliary bufiing gear inert under pulling stresses and acting to absorb only such stresses as are beyond the normal. capacity of the main gear in bufiing.

It is also anobject of the inventionv to provide a draft and buffing gear wherein an eccentric rocker acts between offset shock absorbing spring mechanisms to break the direction of a stress applied to one of the mechanisms. I

It is furthermore an object of the invention to construct a buffing gear rigging wherein the main gear followers are adapted to contact one another before the main shock absorbing springs disposed therein are completely compressed, to permit a stress which is beyond the normal capacity of the main springs to lie-transmitted to an auxiliary buffing gear mechanism which acts to absorb the excess stress.

A further object of the invention is the construction of a buffing gear rigging wherein an abnormal stress is first partly absorbed by main buffing springs and then transferred to secondary friction plate springs by the contacting of the main follower blocks before the complete compression of the main buffing springs.

It is an important object of the invention to construct a combination draft and bufling gear rigging of effective andsimple form wherein the auxiliary gear is not brought into action before the resistance offered by the primary gear springs has been completely exerted.

Other and further important objects of the invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and drawings.

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

On the drawings:

Figure l. is a fragmentary top plan view partly broken away and with parts shown in section. of a combination draft and buff ing gear is normal position embracing the principles of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2, of Fig. 1. showing parts in elevation. Fig. 3 1s a view similar to Fig. 1. showing the operation. with the main gear follower blocks, in contact with one another to prevent complete compression of the main springs after the absorption thereby of a part of an abnormal stress.

Fig; 4 is a similar view showing the next step in the operation. with the auxiliary springs stressed.

1g. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail top'nlan view partly in section of the main draft and buffing gear showing the parts in normal position. Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the operation when a buffing stress is applied to the draw-bar.

Fig. 7 is a detail section taken on line 7-7. of Fig. 5. with parts omitted.

Fig. 8 is a detail section taken on line .8-8, of Fig. 1. with parts omitted.

centric rocker.

Fig. 11 is a detail section taken on line 1111. of Fig. 6. with parts omitted.

Fig. 12 is a detail section taken on line 12. of Fig. (3. with the rocker omitted.

Fig. 13 is an enlarged detail section taken on line 1313, of Fig. 1.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail section taken on line 1-lll. of Fig. 1.

Fig. 15 is a front elevation of the follower for the auxiliary buffing gear.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral 1. indicates the parallel center sills or channel beams forming a part of the under frame of a railway car. Rigidly secured by rivets or other suitable means to the inner surfaces near the front ends of the sills 1. are oppositely disposed front stop members 2. provided with stop shoulders 3. at the inner ends thereof. Rigidly secured to and spanning the space between the sills 1. is a rear stop block 1. provided with a concave front wall 5, and with integral forwardly projecting hooked lugs 01 projections (3, one on'each side of the lower front edge thereof, as shown in Figs. 2 and 14.. Resting upon the lugs 6, between the hooks thereof and the sills 1, are the 1' *ar ends of longitudinally disposed base plates or strips 7. the front ends of which rest upon'filler blocks 8. which together with said base plates are rigidly secured by means of bolts 9. to a transverse bracket bar or'support 10, bolted to the lower flanges of the sills 1. Rigidly secured to the inner surfaces of the sills 1. above the base plates 7. are a pair of inwardly directed angle guides 11, which together with the base plates 7, form an auxiliary or secondary buffing gear casing within which the auxiliary or secondary buffing gear mechanism is disposed. V

The auxiliary butting gear mechanism comprises two groups or sets 12. of leaf springs or spring plates arranged on edge face to face transversely in the auxiliary gear casing formed by the members 7 and 11, which form a suitable inclosure for said spring sets. Separating the spring sets 12, is a .double convex movable separating or hearing plate 13. which rests upon the base plates 7. Slidably disposed upon the base plates 7. in front of the spring sets 12, is an auxiliary follower embracing a. forwardly directed hood 1%. having integrally formed transversely on the rear thereof a plurality of parallel concave ribs 15. the ends of which normally engage the side margins of the foremost plate of the front spring set 1'2. integrally formed on each side of the front of the hood 14. is a forwardly projecting channel arm 16, having a vertical groove 17. The hood 11 and the side channel arms 16, afford a pocket 18. Integrally formed on each side of the rear follower is a vertical flange or rib 15). which normally are held against stops or bars 20. by the spring plates 12, to limit the outward or forward movement of the rear follower. The stop bars 20. are rigidly secured opposite one another in vertical position on the inner surfaces of the sills 1.

Channel depressions 21. are formed in transverse bracket bars or supports 22. which are rigidly secured beneath the lower flanges of the sills 1. by means of bolts 21%. or other suitable means. Slidably resting or supported in the bracket bar channels 21. is a longitudinally disposed yoke 21. comprising top and bottom arms the inner ends of which are integrally (onnected by means of a rounded or bowed head 25. which is disposed to engage in the pocket 18. of the. auxiliary follower. The horizontal yoke arms are joined together at their outer or forward edges by vertical lateral side plates 26. forming a box like opening or mouth :27. within which the rear end or head 2b. of a draw-bar 29, is received. The yoke plates 26. are each provided with a horizontal slot 30. disposed in a plane and opposite to lougitudinal slots 31, formed in the front vstops 2. and with longitudinal slots 31:2. provided in the sills 1. The slots 31 and h. on each side of the gear rigging register with one another.

.A coupler key 321. projects transversely through the draw-bar 29. at right angles thereto with the ends of the key 33. projecting through the respective slots. 30. 31 and 32. An upturned key head 3- is integrally formed on one end of the key 33. while a cotter pin 35, is removably engaged through a suitable opening provided for the purpose near the other extending end of said key to prevent the key from becoming accidentally disengaged.

Disposed within the yoke 24, between the sills 1, and slidably resting upon the lower yoke arm is a ,front main follower or gear block 36, and a rear main follower or gear block 37. The main followers 3(3 and 37, are alined with one another and oppositely directed. with the like ends adjacent each other and cut away as denoted by the reference numeral 38. to permit said main followers to interfit with one another when the butting gear rigging is stressed. Integrally formed on the rear surface of the rear main follower 37. are a pair of vertical-ribs 0r flanges 39, adapted to fit or engage i the vertical grooves 17. of the auxiliar follower. \Vith the exception of the rios 39.- formed on the rear maln follower 37. the

main followers 36 and 37. are constructed exactly alike and each embraces a box or chambered section 10, formed at one side of the follower and cut away at one side and corner as denoted by the reference numeral 41. Each main follower is open at the abutting end. Integrally formed at one side of each main follower adjacent the open end of the box section 40. is a corrugated wall 42. The longitudinal wall of the box section 40, is provided with a longitudinal guide slot 43, and integral guide flanges 44, the ends of which are integral with the inner surface. of the corrugated wall 42, and the buffing 'alls of the main follower. Dis posed within each main follower box section is a heavy main coil spring 4:"), and a concentric inner main coil spring 46. both of which abut against the inner surface of the butting wall of the follower. and against a block 47. having a guide tail or arm 48, integrally formed thereon to slidably engage in the slot 43. The outer end of each of the blocks 47. is concave. and provided with a plurality of concave tapered or V-shaped grooves 49. one above the other.'as clearly shown in Fig. 12. The main coil springs 4546. and the block 47. in the main follower 36. are offset with respect to the main coil springs and the block disposed in the main follower 37. Engaged between the main followers 36 and 37. and between the blocks 47. thereof is an eccentric rocker comprising two integrally connected offset semicylindrical sections at). the flat surfaces of which are vertically corrugated or ribbed as denoted by the reference numeral 51. while the curved or convex portion of each section 50. is provided witha plurality of integral tapered or V-shaped convex ribs 52. disposed one above the other and adapted to engage in the concave grooves 49. of the blocks 47.

The corrugated surfaces 51. are disposed opposite the corrugated walls 42, of the main followers, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, to permit the corrugations to interfit.

The operation is as follows: The number of resilient spring friction plates in the auxiliary spring groups 12,

will. of course. vary with the requirements in individual cases. The auxiliary draft gear is intended to receive and absorb those excessive stresses in bufling that are beyond the normal absorbing capacity of the main bufling gear. and for this reason said spring groups are composed of a suflicient number of plates to render the auxiliary butting gear practically inert under ordinary bufling stresses.

As shown. the yoke 24. is slidably mounted on the channels 21. of the supports 22, and the draw-bar 29 is engaged in the yoke month 27. and is remo ably attached to the yoke 24. by means of the coupler key The draw-bar head 2 bears against the front main follower 36. and normally the gear rigging parts are in the position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, the followers 36 and 37,

stress to the first main follower block 47.

which acts against the front. convex side of the eccentric rocker 50--50. thereby moving or swinging one portion of the rocker rearwardly against the corrugated plate 42, of the rearmain follower 37. This motion of the rocker causes the front corrugated plate 51. of the rocker to swing forwardly against the corrugated plate 42, of the follower 36. to resistthe inward movement of said follower 36. which movement, of course, is further resisted by the action of the main springs 45-46, disposed in the rear main follower 37. The direction of the stress, is thus broken and absorbed by the sets of springs 4546. which act when being compressed. to rotate the rocker 50-50. caus ing. a sliding movement of the convex tapered ribs 52, in the concave grooves 49 of the blocks 47. Said blocks 47. are accordingly permitted to slide in the slots 43. between the guide flanges 44. Vith the rock ing movement of the rocker iii-50. the cor-- rugated surfaces 51. engage the corrugated surfaces 42, of the main followers 3637, to resist nioven'lent of said followers to ard one another. The stress. if an ordinary one. is thus absorbed by the main buffing gear mechanism before the followers 36 and 37, contact one another.

' If an abnormal stress or one above the capacity of the main gear is applied'to the gear rigging the main springs 45-46. will be compressed and the front follower 36, will be moved into the position shown in Fig. 3, into engagement with the rear follower 37, which is held against movement by the auxiliary gear mechanism. It will be noted. however. that the main followers are brought into engagement with one another before the main springs 45-46. are completely compressed. lVith the followers 36 and 37, abutting each other. as shown in Fig. 3. the excess bufling stress which has not been absorbed by the main gear mecha- -nism,is thereby delivered to the auxiliary to absorb such abnormal stresses in bufling as would otherwise be likely to result in serious injury or destruction of the main draft gear. l

The slots 30. in the yoke are of sufficient length to prevent the coupler key from engaging the inner ends thereof until after the main followers 36 and 3i", are brought into engagement with each other. \Vhen the main bufiing gear has exerted its power of resistance the key 33. engages the yoke to cause the same to move rearwardly against the hood l t, of the auxiliary follower to force the same against the auxiliary gear springs to flex the same around the double convex separating block 13, to absorb the excess stress.

.When a pulling stress is applied the main draft gear only is under compression, the auxiliary bufiing gear being'wholly inert and the rear follower 37, being forced by the yoke head 25, forwardly, therebymoving the front follower 36, against the stop shoulders 3.

' It will of course be understood that if desired the main buffing gear coil springs 454;6, may be replaced by friction spring plates, and that the auxiliary friction plate springs may be replaced by coil springs. Ifpreferred both the springs of the main and the auxiliary gears may be of the same construction. Many other details of construction may be varied through a wide range Without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

In a gear rigging of the class described, an auxiliary absorption gear, a yoke, an auxiliary follower associated with said auxiliary absorption gear and embracing a vertical saddle plate against which the real" end of the yoke abuts, a forwardly extending overhanging member integral with said plate to limit the upward movement of the rear end of said yoke, grooved forwardly projecting channel arms integral with said plate and forming part of said auxiliary follower, side flanges forming an integral part of said auxiliary follower, said plate and channel arms serving to centralize the rear end of the yoke, a main gear disposed in said yoke, ribs forming a part of said main gear and adapted, to fit in the channel arms of said auxiliary follower, and adraw bar removably connected with said yoke, said drawbar normally engaging said main gear to transmit a stress directly thereto for absorption, said yoke adapted to be brought into action to transmit any excess stress through the auxiliary follower to said auxiliary absorption gear after the capacity of said main gear has been reached, and stops adapted to be engaged by said auxiliary follower flanges to limit the outward movement of said auxiliary follower.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES MILTON VVAUGH.

Witnesses:

EARL M. HARDINE, CHARLES WV. HILLS, J r. 

